A team of researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis may have found a new treatment for memory loss and cognitive decline. The method involves clearing out your brain’s junk more quickly and more efficiently than it does now.

The team, which published its findings in Cell, found that by enhancing the function of our lymphatic vessels, they could improve memory in older mice. See, there’s a network of vessels surrounding the brain called the meningeal lymphatics that start to slow down as we age.

Think of this system of vessels as a drainage pipe that pumps out waste and fluid into your lymph nodes so they can be checked for any illnesses that may be lurking.

Removing Brain Waste to Prevent Dementia

As you age, this system can’t perform its job as well, so your brain’s immune cells have to take over. If you’ve ever had to fill in for a missing coworker at a strenuous job, you know exactly how exhausting that can be.

It’s like that but for a portion of your brain. This immune cell in your brain, known as microglia, eventually gets overburdened, contributing to cognitive decline. According to the research, if these lymphatic vessels get a little boost in their ability to function, older mice with spotty memories are suddenly a little less forgetful.

“By targeting a network of vessels outside of the brain that is critical for brain health, we see cognitive improvements in mice, opening a window to develop more powerful therapies to prevent or delay cognitive decline,” said Jonathan Kipnis, a Washington University professor of pathology and immunology.

The stumbling block previous therapies hit was breaking through the blood-brain barrier, a membrane that separates your blood from your brain tissue and is very selective about what it lets pass through. For years, scientists have had trouble getting treatments through this vital barrier.

The team at Washington University is hoping this discovery will allow them to one day develop treatments for conditions like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s without even having to approach the brain at all.

To test the memories of older mice, the researchers put two black rods in a cage with older mice. The rods were exactly alike, and the mice were allowed to play with them as they saw fit. Then, the next day, some older mice got the black rods, while others got the rods and silver rectangular prism. The researchers then sat back and watched to see which mice were drawn to which trinket.

An older mouse will bounce back and forth between the two, while a younger mouse (Or, at least, one with a younger brain) will usually stick to the newer thing.

After the researchers provided the older mice with their treatment that boosted the growth and function of only the lymphatic vessels, they found that the older mice were suddenly paying a lot more attention to the shiny new object. Older mice that didn’t receive the treatment were still bouncing between the two objects.

The researchers may not be able to revive dead cells that deteriorate over time, but they may be able to make your brain work more efficiently by clearing out some of the gunk that slows it down as it ages.